The Lost Boyz - A Dark Side of Graffiti (Paperback)

A rare first-hand account of disaffected youth. Contains countless lessons for young people who might be attracted to crime (and anyone involved with them socially or professionally). Aged just fourteen and using the name 'Sevens', the author went from being a bullied child to leader of the Warriorz, a group of London street kids involved in graffiti-tagging and other crimes including a series of violent encounters. Eventually given a substantial custodial sentence for an attack with a meat cleaver on the London Underground, Justin Rollins became determined to steer other young people away from such a life. The Lost Boyz tells the story of his descent into a form of madness in which self-destruction, anger, wanton behaviour and fear lie at the core. Not before has a book taken the reader so far inside the minds of troubled youths as the author and his companions-some of whom did not survive or also ended up in prison-gradually realise that there is no easy escape from their chaotic lifestyle. Their need to gain respect from and stay credible with each other stems from offending, alienation, living on the margins of society and crazy behaviour-all of which serve as barriers to rejoining the normal world and going straight. The book contains countless lessons for young people who might be attracted to crime just as it does for anyone interested in youth offending, gang culture, criminology, mental health issues or that period of modern English social history when the unofficial decoration of walls, fences, trains and buses became a telling symbol of disaffected youth. Reviews 'This is simply 100% raw talent ... a must-read': Inside Time 'An unforgettable story': Social Work With Groups 'What a nightmarish time': Graphotism 'Some real dark moments ... be prepared': Keep the Faith 'A job well done': Noel 'Razor' Smith, crime writer (from the Foreword) . Author Justin Rollins grew-up on the streets of south-London and was a one-time leader of a graffiti gang. Having served time for a violent crime he is now s a security guard and works with youth groups. Foreword author Noel 'Razor' Smith is the best-selling author of A Few Kind Words and a Loaded Gun and works for the prison newspaper Inside Time.